The Labor enquirer., 1887-11-05

2 RovHey uhio4 ~ locoo1 uoet Of then
noFtgaGe ~ o1oo1oo, and prices O.
Peoo1eo 81 = ~ = - oEsr no reliel
e1oePo tAtooGh toGh1Dpooy. Laborerl
~ einking i11o GEoo1og on6 greater de
p0de1e& oKlk1o aro SoooRted to with
- relisf, beanuee q ~ Inability of EN-
p!cyoes n many eosos - PAY living wages
vn1le mo1o and mare o1e driven into The
sereees. Business nsa ind collections al
most impoasib1G, meanttis hundreds OF
millions Of idle puhlio money which il
needsd for relief b locked up in the
United States treasury IN grim mockery
Of the distress; land monopoly fourishee
- never known bofors, and more and
more owners Of ths soil are daily becom.
ing tenants. Great tsonsportation corpo-
rations still succeed IN extorting their
profits upon wateEsd stock through unjus,
charges. The United States senate has
become an open scandal, its seats being
purchased By the rich IN open defiance OF
the popular win. 1 triAing fisheries dis
puts Il seized upon % An excuse for nec-
essary military preparations which are
designed TO breed spirit Of war, to ape
European despotisu, and to empty the
treasury without paying the public debt.
Under these and other alarming condi-
tions We appeal 70 the people of the
whole country to cope ont of the old
party organizations, where indifference
TO the public welfare il responsible for
this distress, and help % to organize a
new political party, not sectional but ma
tional, whose members shall be called
commoners, whose object shall be to re-
peal all class laws in favor Of the rich, and
TO relieve the distress Of our industries
by establishing the following principles:
I. Land-Evsry human being possesses
a natural, inaliensble right to sufficient
land for self support, and we desire to se-
cure TO ever industrious citizen home as
the highest result of free institutions. To
this end we desire graduated land tax
on all land estates, especially those held
for speculative OF tenant purpose; the re-
claimation of ali unearned land grants;
the immediate opening of Oklahoma to
homestead settlement; the purchase of
all unoccupied Indian lands, and the set
tlement Of the various tribes in severalty;
also laws preventing corporations from
real estate beyond the requir-
ments of their business, and alien owner
ship Of land. The system of irrigation,
in states and territories where necessary,
shall be under such public control as shall
secure the free and equitable use of the
waters and franchises to the people.
2. Transportation-The means of com
munication or transportation should be
controlled by the people, as is the United
States postal system, and equitable rates
everywhere established,
8. Money-The establishment of ma
tional monetary system in the interest of
the producer instead Of the speculator
and usurer by which circulating medium
in necessary quantity and full legal ten
der, shall be issued directly to the peo-
pie, without the Intervention of banks, or
loaned to citizens upon ample security at
q low rate of interest to relieve them from
the extortions of usury and enable them
to control the money supply. Postal saw
ings banks should be established. While
we have free coinage of gold, we should
have free coinage Of silver. We demand
the prompt payment Of the national debt,
and condemn the further issue of interest
bearing bonds, either by the national gov
erpment, or by states, territories, counties
or municipalities.
1. Decentralization should take the
place of strikes and other injurious meth
DDS of settling labor disputes; the letting of
convict labor to contractors be prohibited;
the contract system be abolished in pub
lie works; the hours of labor in industrial
be reduced commensurate
with the increase Of production in labor
saving machinery; employees to be pro-
tected from bodily injury; equal pay be-
ing given for equal work for both sexes,
and labor, agricultural and cooperative
be favored and incorporated
by law. The foundation of republic is
the intelligence Of its citizens and chill
dren who are driven into workshops,
mines and factories are deprived of edu-
cation which should be secured by proper
legislation. We desire to see labor organ
izations extend throughout all civilized
until it shall be impossible for
despots to array the workingmen of one
country in war against their brothers of
another country.
s.. Soldiers and Sailors-In apprecia-
tion of the services of United States SOL
diers and sailors We demand for them JUS
tice before charity. The purposely de-
preciated money paid them during the
war should be made equal in value to the
gold paid the bondholder. The soldier
was promised gold or its equivalent and
was paid in deprecated paper. The bond
holder loaned the government deprecated
paper and contracted TO take it back, but
was paid in gold.
8. Income Tara graduated income
is the most equitable system of taxation,
placing the burden Of government on
those who can best afford TO pay, instead
Of laying It on the farmers and producers,
and exempting millionaire bondholders
and corporations.
Z. United States Senate Tho capture
Of the United States senate by million
aires and and tools Of corporations who
have no sympathy with free institutions,
threatens the very existence Of the repub-
lie. We demand a constitutional amend
ment making United States senators elect